The Latest: The battle for WBD; Vanity Fair defends profile; Oscars move to YouTube

Dec. 17, 2025

■ FCC Chair Brendan Carr clashes with Democrats in Senate hearing (ABC News) / ‘I took this screenshot of the FCC website at 11:52 a.m. ET where it explicitly states the FCC is an independent agency. 25 minutes later, it has been removed following Carr's comments during this hearing ! See before and after screenshots below’ (Sara Fischer) / What does it mean if the FCC isn’t independent? (NewscastStudio)

■ Warner Bros. Discovery advises shareholders to reject Paramount’s offer . But the battle isn’t over (CNN) / ‘The message from Warner Bros. Discovery this morning: Netflix's offer is the better offer, and Paramount Skydance has "consistently misled WBD shareholders that its proposed transaction has a 'full backstop' from the Ellison family." ’ (Scott Nover) / Why Saudi money complicated Paramount's WBD bid — but didn't kill it - Business Insider) / Starz placed $25 billion bid for all of Warner Bros. Discovery’s cable networks (The Wrap) / Comcast valued its media unit at $81 billion in Warner Bros. bid (Bloomberg)

■ Oscars bolt from ABC to YouTube starting in 2029 (Hollywood Reporter) / ‘With the Oscars on YouTube, it means that presenters, honorees, and the host can swear whenever they want, unbleeped, given that the FCC does not have oversight .’ (Ted Johnson)

■ Scripps rejects Sinclair's hostile bid (Axios)

■ NewsNation expanding live news programming (TV News Check)

■ Charges dropped against Tampa photojournalist arrested at Miami ICE protest (Tampa Bay Times) / ‘Amid ICE crackdowns on Somali immigrants, a local outlet relies on time and community trust to tell stories others can’t.’ (Columbia Journalism Review) / Citizen journalist documents ICE activity around the Twin Cities all from his phone (CBS Minnesota)

■ WSJ bureau chief Butters departs (Talking Biz News) / New reporter on Data Journalism team (New York Times) / New roles for Dana Rubinstein and Emma Fitzsimmons (New York Times) / Tim Hinson named GM of KTVT-KTXA Dallas (TV News Check) / Salem Radio Network fills Charlie Kirk’s radio hour with Scott Jennings, Alex Marlow (The Wrap)

■ Press Forward awards $2.7M in grants to coalitions of local stations (Current)

The role of photography in storytelling

“When you photograph, you’re really photographing the truth. You're not setting things up or anything, so it's important to — even if things don't change right away — it's still important to create a record of the truth. … It's super important to show the emotions of what people are going through. Because you're there to show the world what's going on, because not everyone can be there. So I want to show the emotions so that the people looking at the photos can feel the same emotion . They can feel that outrage, they can feel that sadness, the humiliation, all those things, so that they can relate to what's going on. They can relate to the people who are experiencing this.”

-- Stephanie Keith , news and editorial photographer, excerpt from "Photojournalist Stephanie Keith on documenting ICE and capturing a moment that became the cover of New York magazine " (Nieman Storyboard)

5 tips for getting a freelance business started

Richard Eisenberg, a freelance writer, editor, and board member at the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), recently spoke to the Institute, offering guidance on how journalists can stand out in a competitive freelance market. Here are five steps journalists can take right now:

Get your business and marketing plan ready. This will let you map out your goals, along with strategies to reach them.

Find clients to build your brand by connecting with existing and former contacts; doing cold outreach to prospects; attending conferences, association gatherings, business meetings, or other meetups (in person or virtually) to introduce yourself to prospective editors or clients; and attending writer-specific opportunities.

Create an online presence to let editors and other prospective clients find you and to showcase your work. This could be a LinkedIn profile, a standalone website, a content platform offering free portfolio space, or your profile in a directory (like this directory for ASJA members).

Devise a target hourly rate that would let you meet your income goals. Then, try to negotiate for more. ASJA’s Paycheck Database lets members see how much particular outlets and organizations pay and help them steer clear of ones that could be problematic.

Be sure to get a contract for any assignment. It’s a written guarantee about how much and when you’ll get paid as well as the scope of work you agreed to deliver. The contract will also stipulate the rights you may retain to a work, allowing you to resell the piece or earn income from projects it spawns. Click here for more tips.

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-- NPCJI Executive Director Beth Francesco

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This newsletter is written and edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff: Beth Francesco, Holly Butcher Grant, and Elliot C. Williams. Send us your questions and suggestions for topics to cover.

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The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest. The Institute's tax ID number is 52-1750908.